Several types of mass-marketed fluid containers are known. For example, half-gallon cardboard milk containers and plastic juice containers are commonplace in supermarkets. Such containers are used by consumers on a daily basis and therefore should be designed for ease of use. However, cardboard milk containers generally lack a handle, making half-gallon and larger sizes unwieldy and difficult to pour. In addition, the average vertically-standing cardboard container offers insufficient resistance and rigidity under load conditions which can result in breakage during handling. This characteristic also tends to make these containers unstable when stacked on top of one another.
Plastic containers typically have handles, but are not designed for ease of use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,804 discloses a plastic liquid dispensing container having a handle and a ribbed construction. The spout and the handle are located on the top side of the container and are parallel to the top closure portion. The positions of the handle and spout make a described two and one-half gallon embodiment difficult to pour.
Thus, present day commercially available cardboard and plastic containers are inadequate because a large part of the population, especially the very young and the elderly, cannot easily manipulate them.